Massive 131-ton tunnel boring machine head arrives at Sibiu side of Poiana tunnel

A 131-tonne tunnel boring machine cutterhead destined for the Poiana tunnel on the Sibiu-Pitești motorway arrived at the Sibiu portal after a difficult transport that traversed highways, national and county roads and ended on an unpaved section in the Poiana area, all under rainy conditions. The entire convoy, including tractor and trailer, weighed roughly 160 tonnes. The Direcție Regională de Drumuri și Poduri Craiova highlighted the sustained effort and coordination that ensured the component’s safe unloading.

The arrival marks the first step toward assembling the TBM, but drilling cannot start yet; more than 100 further transports, some exceeding 160 tonnes, are needed to bring all parts to the site. Once fully assembled, the machine will excavate a 1,780-metre tunnel that will pass up to 120 metres below ground, forming part of the challenging mountain segment of the highway. Work on the broader project began in 2025 and continues pending environmental approvals and other permits.